Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said, Goods and Services Tax, GST is a great example of cooperative federalism, where all the States decided to take a unanimous decision in the interest of the nation. 

He informed that it is a matter of pride that all the decisions taken in the 27 meetings of the GST Council were unanimous despite people from different political ideologies being involved in these meetings. 

The Prime Minister was addressing the nation in his Mann Ki Baat programme of All India Radio. 

Mr Modi said, before GST, there were 17 different types of taxes prevailing in the country, but now only one tax is applicable in the entire country. He said, earlier, in the case of taxation and allied affairs, there were rampant complaints of Inspector Raj. 

He stated that in GST, information technology has replaced the inspector and from return to refund is done through online information technology. He also said, the check post has become extinct after the arrival of the GST scheme and movement of goods has become faster, which not only saves time but also accrues benefits in the area of logistics. 

He further added, the successful implementation of such a huge tax reform was successful only because the people of the country adopted it and through the power of the masses, fueled the success of the GST scheme. Mr Modi said, it is generally believed that such a big tax reform, in a huge country like India takes 5 to 7 years for effective adoption. He expressed happiness that despite this, due to the enthusiasm of honest people, the new tax system has managed to create a space for itself within a year.

Mr Modi said, the schemes brought by NDA government have ushered in positive changes in the lives of people. Mr Modi said, his recent interactions with beneficiaries of different schemes through video conferencing in the past few weeks have been a unique learning experience for him. Saying that 40 to 50 lakh people participated in this video bridge program, Mr Modi expressed his gratitude towards all for imparting him with new strength. 

He pointed out that women in distant villages are providing services ranging from pension to issuance of passport to senior citizens through common service centres. He cited several examples and added that there was not a single corner of the country where people did not have a success story to share.

Mr Modi gave an example where corporate professionals and IT engineers in Bangalore came together and created a ‘Samridhi Trust’ through which they doubled the income of farmers by successful activation of this trust. The farmers were trained to inculcate organic farming with latest agricultural techniques and how to grow more crops along with a single cash crop in the fields.

The Prime Minister recalled the great contributions of India's saints in eradicating social evils and promoting humanity. Mr Modi said, he will be visiting the Samadhi Sthal of Saint Kabir Das at Maghar in Uttar Pradesh on the 28th of this month. 

He said, Kabir Das appealed to the people to rise above divisions of religion and caste and make knowledge and wisdom the sole basis of recognition. 

Mr Modi said, these principles are relevant even after several centuries have gone by. He said, Kabir Das stressed upon the virtues of social equality, peace and brotherhood through his Saakhis and Dohas. The Prime Minister recited several dohas of the saint saying that these are relevant and inspiring even in modern times. He added that Kabir Das toiled relentlessly to quell many such superstitions and evil social customs of his times and spread the message of peace and harmony. 

Mr Modi also cited the example of Guru Nanak saying his teachings endeavoured to eradicate caste based discrimination prevalent in the society. The Prime Minister said the establishment of a kitchen free of social discrimination where a person of any caste, sect, religion or community could eat was initiated solely by Guru Nanak. He said, the 550th Prakash Parv of the Guru can be celebrated as Prerna Parv next year. The Prime Minister said, it will be 100 years of the horrific incident of Jallianwala Bagh next year. He said, the massacre imparts the message that violence and cruelty can never solve any problem. He emphasised that it is peace and non-violence, renunciation and martyrdom that are triumphant in the end.

Responding to a listener, Raman Kumar of Rohini in Delhi who had urged him to talk about Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Mr. Modi said education, administration and parliamentary affairs were very close to the leader's heart. He said, Dr. Mukherjee was the first Industries minister of India who laid a strong foundation for country's industrial development. Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee's dream was for India to be industrially self-reliant, competent and prosperous in every sphere.

The Prime Minister said, the fourth International Yoga Day presented the rarest of sights and the whole world appeared as one entity. In the European Parliament in Brussels, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Japanese naval warships, there were sights of people performing yoga. Saudi Arabia witnessed its first historic Yoga programme where many aasans were demonstrated by women. Mr Modi said, Yoga breaks all barriers of borders and unites people. He gave the heartwarming example where 750 divyangs assembled at one place in Ahmedabad to practise Yoga and thus created a world record. 

The Prime Minister congratulated the doctors on the occasion of Doctor’s Day to be celebrated on 1st of next month. Mr Modi said, the role of a doctor is not limited to mere treatment of ailments. He said they not only cure but also heal.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Indian cricket team for inviting the Afghanistan team to pose together for photographs while receiving the trophy. He said, this incident exemplifies the very spirit of sportsmanship. #casansaar (Source - GST, NewsonAir)